Blood Ties by Pamela Freeman is the first book in The Castings Trilogy. It is also the first adult fiction novel the author has published,as she usually writes for children. I have read several of her children’s books and enjoyed them immensely. This book was no exception. In fact, it has qualities that make it stand apart from her previous writings. If you are a fan of the author, then you definitely will not be disappointed with Blood Ties.

The story is well written - smooth and interesting. The characters are not perfect people, which make them realistic, and they are likable and well rounded. And the world is believable yet enchanting.

I was especially impressed with the flow of the story. It is so easy to read, which makes it almost impossible to put down. From what I’ve heard, the second book (Deep Water) is quite the page turner so I’m looking forward to reading it soon. Another unique quality of the book is what I call the mini-stories of the minor characters. They give the story depth and allow the reader to view storylines from different perspectives, which is brilliant.

In all honesty, Blood Ties is the best adult novel I’ve read in a while. I highly recommend it. ( )

“Blood Ties” is the first book of the Castings trilogy by the Australian writer Pamela Freeman. Set in the Eleven Domains, the story is centred around Bramble and Ash, two troubled young adults belonging to the “old blood”, an oppressed and dispossessed people in their own country. It is an enthralling story full of mystery, magic and dark secrets.

I was very late to discover Pamela Freeman’s work but it is always a pleasure to find another talented Australian fantasy writer along the lines of Sara Douglass and Trudi Canavan. I’m really enjoying the series. ( )

1000 years ago, one group of people invaded a land and dispossessed another group. This series deals with the remnants of that dispossessed and how some want revenge.

The format was different. Each chapter, whether 1 page or 50 pages, followed one character. And it switched between at least 6-10 different characters. By the end of the book you began to see the hint of an outline of how all these different threads were coming together.

I enjoyed it and am looking forward to reading the rest of this trilogy. ( )

Better than being merely escapist, the small details and differing points of view in this novel make it a worthwhile read even if I have issues with the pacing. ( )

I really liked this book!! It held my attention the whole way through & I wanted to keep reading until I was done.